KUALA LUMPUR (May 6): Ramsay Sime Darby Healthcare today clarified that a viral message going around on WhatsApp, which states that its hospitals are running a private Covid-19 vaccination programme to cater to corporate and individuals seeking quick access to the vaccine shots, is false.
The hospital operator, which runs Subang Jaya Medical Centre, Ara Damansara Medical Centre and ParkCity Medical Centre, told theedgemarkets.com none of its hospitals is offering private registration for Covid-19 vaccination.
"We would like to firmly state that there is no private registration for the Covid-19 vaccination at any of the RSDH facilities, namely SJMC, ADMC or PMC. The current messages that are circulating are false and should be disregarded. Registration for Covid-19 vaccination is only available through government-approved channels such as the MySejahtera app," its representative said when contacted.
In the viral message, whose original source is unknown at this juncture, it is stated that SJMC is partnering with Pharmaniaga to offer quick access to the Covid-19 vaccine for its corporate clients and interested individuals.
The message stated that the SJMC programme, which it claimed offers the Sinovac vaccine, is separate from the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, and is expected to start in May or June this year. The message also stated that the cost per dose is estimated at between RM400 and RM600, and provided emails for individuals to send their individual registration to.
And in what is seen as a bid to make the offer legitimate, the message is linked to two vaccine-related news. One from theedgemarkets.com, entitled 'Pharmaniaga to offer two million Covid-19 vaccine doses to economic front liners and foreign workers', and one from the New Straits Times, entitled 'Private Hospitals Ready to Discuss the Covid 19 Vaccine Procurement'. None of the news articles, however, is related to SJMC or the private programme that is peddled in the message.
The Edge Communications Sdn Bhd, which owns The Edge Malaysia and theedgemarkets.com, also clarified that its news articles have nothing to do with the viral message going around peddling the purported private vaccination programme.
"These are irresponsible parties using our news articles to mislead the public. We would like to advise the public to always verify the information they receive, lest they are deceived by scammers," a representative said.